


All Is Calm

by from_scarlet_to_pink



Series: Kingsman Advent Calendar '17 [18]
Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: Advent Calendar, Established Relationship, M/M, a drop of angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-22
Updated: 2017-12-22
Packaged: 2019-02-18 17:03:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13104624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/from_scarlet_to_pink/pseuds/from_scarlet_to_pink
Summary: Eggsy loves all holidays, gets excited for costumes, decorations, the lot. So why is he so subdued when it comes to Christmas?





	All Is Calm

**Author's Note:**

> working from [this](http://from-scarlet-to-pink.tumblr.com/post/168094448114/verobird-christmas-prompts-some-i-made-up) list of prompts for an advent-calendar
> 
> DEC 18: You hate Christmas because you’ve never had a good one. So I go all out to make this the best Christmas for you
> 
> (late addition because I spontaneously went to a concert that day)

“Eggsy, what do you think of this tree? It looks a bit fuller than the last, but it’s also taller. Do you think it will fit in with the rest of the room, or should we rather get a smaller one?” Harry was walking through the cluster of trees that were for sale. There were firs and pines in all sizes, and a variety of green tones.

“Honestly, Harry, it’s not important? We’ll just throw it away in January, anyway. Get whichever one you like best.” Eggsy walked up to one of the firs, and reached for the tag on the top branch. “Jesus, Harry!” He turned around, to make sure he had the other man’s attention. “This is a lot of money to spend on a tree that we’ll only keep around for three weeks, what the hell?”

Harry grew a little worried over Eggsy’s behaviour. The usually cheery young man was a fan of every single holiday there was, made up or not. For National Pug Day he had gotten them matching sets of socks with little pugs on them, as well as new mugs, and Halloween had been an experience unlike any other Harry had had before. It was only to be expected, that Eggsy would show a comparable level of enthusiasm for Christmas.

“Is everything all right, dear?” He walked over to where the blond was standing, and cupped his cheek.

Eggsy slowly released the breath he had held, and turned his face, to better look at Harry. “Yeah, just… it’s not really for me. Christmas. I’ll just… I’ll go wait for you in the café over there, yeah?” He leaned forward, kissed the taller man on the cheek, and walked across the street, leaving a confused Harry behind.

Harry and Eggsy had walked home without a tree that day. The younger man’s mood only lifted once Harry had made them both hot chocolates, and cuddled close on the sofa.

\------

Harry had not brought up the topic of the Christmas tree again, choosing to observe Eggsy closer, before deciding on a plan of action. It appeared that it wasn’t only the tree Eggsy was objecting to, but rather the entire holiday in general. He wouldn’t say anything outright, but Harry hadn’t been a spy for the past thirty years for nothing.

The younger man would always change the station when Christmas music was playing on the radio, or change the channel when the Santa Coca Cola commercial was on the TV. Whenever someone would wish them ‘Happy Holidays’ he would smile tightly, but not return the greeting, and when Percival had brought up playing Secret Santa among the knights, he simply left the room.

\------

“Eggsy?” Harry looked up from his book, deciding it was finally time to breach the subject.

“Yeah, luv?” The younger man turned his head from where it was comfortably lying in the other’s lap, and looked up at him.

“I was just wondering if there was something in particular that you were hoping to get for Christmas?” He carded his fingers through the blonde hair, waiting for a response.

Eggsy rolled his eyes, and went back to fiddling with his phone.

“Darling, what exactly is it about Christmas that unnerves you so?”

“What? Nothing, what do you mean?”

“Eggsy.” Harry stopped running his fingers through the younger man’s hair, and poked him gently in the side.

“Fine. It’s just… Christmas hasn’t exactly been a great time for the Unwins, has it?” Eggsy sat up properly, putting his phone on the sofa table. “The first Christmas I remember was just me and Mum, Dad was still in training. Then some years later you come along two days before Christmas, telling us that Dad’s died. After that, Christmas was… not great. Money was tight, and once Dean came along, there really wasn’t a lot of time to be in a cheery mood in general.” He leaned back against the sofa cushions. “So yeah, all this is… it brings up bad memories. All the shops with their displays, and the over-the-top-ness of it all, it just reminds me of what we didn’t have.” He paused, looking at Harry, and taking in his sad expression. “And that’s not on you. I don’t mean to make this into a sad tragic story or to make you feel guilty or anything, it’s just… it’s been too long for me to now all of a sudden be excited about it.”

“Why didn’t you just say something earlier?” Harry reached out to Eggsy, pulling him closer.

“You looked so excited about buying a tree, and putting up decorations. I don’t want you to change your traditions, just because I’ve now moved in with you, or don’t like Christmas that much.”

“Oh Eggsy”, he admonished the younger man. “This isn’t about me going through the motions each year. If something is bothering you, tell me, and we’ll figure it our. We’ll make our own traditions. I want you to be happy here, and a few seasonal decorations won’t ever be more important than that.” He kissed Eggsy softly on the forehead. “Silly boy. Never think that old habits are more important to me than you are.” He pulled away a little, and waited until he had Eggsy’s full attention. “Christmas doesn’t have to be about decorations, and lights, and presents. We can make it about love, and family, and rest. We’ll make it our own.”

\------

In the end Christmas was a quiet affair for the residents of the house in Stanhope Mews. Eggsy had brought in a small fir one evening, which they put in the sitting room on top of a small table, to shield it from JB’s enthusiastic running, and decorated it with the baubles Harry had gotten from his parents over the years. There weren’t a lot of decorations in the rooms, just the tree, a wreath on the dining room table, and some candles in the windows. Harry had insisted on putting up some mistletoe in all the rooms, explaining to Eggsy that it was of utmost importance to always obey the rule of kissing under the mistletoe.

Daisy and Michelle joined them on Christmas Eve, sleeping in the guest room, so that they could have a nice breakfast together, before opening the presents. Harry had asked Eggsy what to get for their little princess, since she was now old enough to remember the festivities.

The younger man had thought about this a lot. Ever since joining Kingsman he could easily afford to spoil Daisy, and more often than not he would give into the impulse to do so. Yet he wanted her to understand the value of gift giving, and not watch her become one of those little brats who expected lots and lots of presents for no other reason than that it was Christmas. So he suggested that they each get her one main gift, and maybe some little thing to go along with it. An addendum that was created after Eggsy went to the Christmas market, and saw a pair of absolutely lovely wool mittens.

So Eggsy got her a set of his favourite children’s book (his own were thrown away in one of Dean’s rages), and the mittens, while Harry gave her a music box that had once belonged to his grandmother. It was an ornamented wooden box with lighter wood inlays, that played Debussy when opened.

For Michelle they had a certificate for a spa weekend out of town, along with the promise to watch Daisy while she was away.

As for their gifts to each other they had decided to forego the presents, and give the money they would have spent to a charity supporting youth programs around Eggsy’s old neighbourhood. Under the tree there were only a box of pralines for Harry, and a new key ring for Eggsy, which Harry had picked up in Berlin after visiting their research department.

\------ 

After Michelle and Daisy had left that night, and after they had packed for their overnight trip to Harry’s parents the next day, the two sat on the sofa, watching _My Fair Lady_.

“Did you enjoy yourself today, my darling?” Harry all but whispered into Eggsy’s hair.

“It was perfect. Thank you.” Eggsy turned his head until he managed to fully kiss Harry on the lips.


End file.
